Can you collect Social Security and work 40 hours a week?

Yes, you can collect Social Security and work 40 hours a week, but your benefits might be reduced if you're below Full Retirement Age (FRA) and earn over the annual limit; once you hit your FRA, there's no earning limit, and working can even increase your future benefits. The key factor is your earnings, not the hours worked, with higher earnings potentially reducing benefits until you reach FRA, after which they stop being affected by work.

Can you work 40 hours a week and still get Social Security?

You can work on an as-needed basis while receiving Social Security retirement benefits, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) does not limit the number of hours you work each week. However, what does matter is how much you earn in gross wages--not the hours worked.

What is one of the biggest mistakes people make regarding Social Security?

Claiming Benefits Too Early

One of the biggest mistakes people make is claiming Social Security benefits as soon as they're eligible, which is at age 62. While getting money sooner can be tempting, claiming early has a significant downside: your monthly benefit will be reduced.

Can I draw Social Security at 64 and still work full time?

Yes, you can draw Social Security at 64 and still work full-time, but your benefits will likely be reduced until you reach your {!nav}Full Retirement Age (FRA) if your earnings exceed the annual SSA limit; once you hit FRA (around 67 for most), earnings don't matter, and withheld benefits are added back, increasing your monthly payment. 

How much can I make working before it affects my Social Security?

You can earn unlimited money without affecting Social Security once you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), but if you're collecting early, there are limits: in 2026, earning over $24,480 (under FRA) means $1 is withheld for every $2 earned above that, and if you reach FRA in 2026, a higher limit of $65,160 applies only to earnings before your FRA month, with $1 withheld for every $3 earned over that amount. 

Working while Receiving Social Security

Can I work part-time and get Social Security?

You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time.

What happens if I earn too much money while collecting Social Security?

If you earn too much, your benefits will be temporarily reduced. The 2025 Social Security earnings limit is $23,400. Your benefit will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above this limit. Once you reach FRA, any benefits withheld will be returned to you in the form of higher monthly payments.

How much do you have to make to get $3,000 a month in Social Security?

To get around $3,000/month in Social Security, you generally need a high earning history, around $100,000-$108,000+ annually over your top 35 years, but waiting to claim until age 70 maximizes this amount, potentially reaching it with lower yearly earnings, say under $70k if you wait long enough, as benefits are based on your highest indexed earnings over 35 years. The exact amount depends heavily on your specific earnings history and the age you start collecting benefits. 

What happens if I go back to work after starting Social Security?

If you return to work after starting Social Security, your benefits might be reduced if you're under your Full Retirement Age (FRA) and earn over the annual limit, but the withheld amounts are added back later, increasing your benefit; once you reach FRA, your earnings don't affect your benefits, and working longer can even boost your future payments due to higher earnings being counted. 

Why will some Social Security recipients get two checks in December?

Some Social Security recipients, specifically those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), got two checks in December 2025 because January 1st, New Year's Day, is a federal holiday, causing the January 2026 payment to be moved up to December 31st, resulting in December's payment (Dec 1st) and January's payment (Dec 31st) both landing in December. This is a standard Social Security Administration (SSA) practice for SSI payments, not a bonus, ensuring funds are available before holidays or weekends. 

What are the three ways you can lose your Social Security benefits?

You can lose Social Security benefits by working while collecting early, leading to earnings limits; incarceration, which suspends payments; or through garnishment for federal debts like taxes, student loans, or child support, along with other factors like remarriage or changes in disability status. 

What is the number one regret of retirees?

Among the biggest mistakes retirees make is not adjusting their expenses to their new budget in retirement. Those who have worked for many years need to realize that dining out, clothing and entertainment expenses should be reduced because they are no longer earning the same amount of money as they were while working.

What does Suze Orman say about when to take Social Security?

Suze Orman strongly advises waiting as long as possible to claim Social Security, ideally until age 70, to maximize your monthly benefit, explaining that delaying provides a significant guaranteed annual increase (around 8%) and offers crucial inflation protection for a longer retirement. While some suggest claiming at 62 and investing the money, Orman counters that most people don't invest it and end up with less income long-term, emphasizing that a higher monthly check with cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) is a better, more secure financial tool, especially for the surviving spouse. 

How many hours is part-time for Social Security?

SSA identifies the following examples of definitions of part-time employment to be common and acceptable. Any position which normally requires less than 20 hours of work each week. Any position which does not normally require over 50 hours of service per month in any calendar year.

What are the changes for Social Security in 2025?

For 2025, Social Security changes include a 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), raising average benefits and increasing the maximum taxable earnings cap to $184,500, while Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment levels also rise, alongside updated earnings limits for those working while receiving benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) also implemented stricter digital identity verification in April 2025 for online account security.
 

What is the minimum hours for Social Security?

To get Social Security retirement, you generally need 40 work credits (about 10 years of work), earned by paying Social Security taxes on your income, with a maximum of 4 credits per year. The exact earnings needed for a credit change yearly (e.g., $1,810 in 2025 for one credit). For disability, the credit requirement varies by age, but you need to have worked recently enough, while younger people can qualify with fewer credits. 

What are the disadvantages of working while collecting Social Security?

You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time. However, if you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, we will reduce your benefits. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, we will not reduce your benefits no matter how much you earn.

Do I need to notify Social Security if I return to work?

Yes, you absolutely must notify Social Security if you go back to work or if your work hours/pay change, especially if you receive disability (SSDI/SSI) benefits, as it affects your payments and eligibility; failure to report can lead to overpayments and penalties, with reporting deadlines typically by the 10th of the month after the change. For disability recipients, this is crucial to navigate trial work periods, and for retirees, it impacts benefits through earnings tests. 

What are the changes coming to Social Security in 2026?

After several years of above-average cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security, beneficiaries will receive a slight increase in the cost-of-living allowance (COLA) in 2026 based on the current inflation environment. Recipients will get a 2.8% raise, which is higher than the 2.5% increase last year.

How much money can you make a month without losing your Social Security?

You can make unlimited income without affecting Social Security once you reach Full Retirement Age (FRA), but if you're collecting before FRA, earning too much reduces benefits: in 2026, the limit is about $24,480/month (or $2,040/month) before benefits are cut $1 for every $2 over the limit, with a higher limit ($65,160/year) until the month you hit FRA. 

What are the four ways you can lose your Social Security?

4 Ways You Can Lose Your Social Security Benefits

• You Forfeit up to 30% of Your Benefits by Claiming Early. ...
• You'll Get Less If You Claim Early and Earn Too Much Money. ...
• The SSA Suspends Payments If You Go To Jail or Prison. ...
• You Can Lose Some of Your Benefits to Taxes. ...
• Finally, You Can Lose SSDI in a Few Ways.

What disqualifies you from getting Social Security?

You can be disqualified from Social Security for insufficient work history (not enough credits), earning too much income (especially for SSI/Disability), having a non-disabling condition, failing to follow prescribed treatment, substance abuse as the primary cause of disability, incarceration, or moving to certain countries. Eligibility depends on the benefit type (retirement, disability, SSI), but common disqualifiers involve not meeting work credits or income/resource limits. 

What is the best age to start Social Security?

There's no single "best" age, as it depends on your health, finances, and spouse; however, waiting until age 70 maximizes your monthly benefit (up to ~30% higher than at full retirement age), while claiming at age 62 provides the earliest income but a permanently reduced amount, with your full retirement age (FRA) falling between 66 and 67 depending on your birth year. For most, delaying to age 70 makes financial sense if you expect a long life and want higher lifetime payments, especially for survivor benefits, but claiming early might be better if you have serious health issues or need immediate income.